Alexis Argüello
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| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alexis Argüello |
| Nickname | El Flaco Explosivo ("The Explosive Thin Man") El Caballero del Ring |
| Height | 5'10" (178 cm) |
| Weight divisions | Featherweight Super Featherweight Lightweight |
| Nationality |  Nicaraguan |
| Ethnicity | Latino |
| Birth date | April 19, 1952 |
| Birth place | Managua, Nicaragua |
| Death date | July 1, 2009 (aged 57) |
| Death place | Managua, Nicaragua |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Reach | 72" |
| Trainer | Lupe Sanchez |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 90 |
| Wins | 82 |
| Wins by KO | 65 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Draws | 0 |
Alexis Argüello (April 19, 1952 - July 1, 2009), also known by the stage name The Explosive Thin Man, was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician. As a boxer he was a three-time world champion. After his retirement from boxing, Argüello became active in Nicaraguan politics and in November 2008 he was elected mayor of Managua, the nation's capital city. He allegedly committed suicide on July 1, 2009.
Arguello is ranked 20th on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.
Contents |
[edit] Boxing career
"The Explosive Thin Man" suffered an unavenged first round TKO loss in his 1968 professional debut, but then won 36 of his next 38 bouts, which then led him to a world Featherweight championship bout against experienced WBA champion Ernesto Marcel of Panama in Panama. The young challenger lost a 15-round unanimous decision in Marcel's retirement bout.
Undaunted, Argüello began another streak of wins, and found himself in the ring with a world champion again, this time challenging Marcel's successor to the throne, Mexican world champion Rubén Olivares in Los Angeles. After Olivares built a small lead on the judges' scorecards, Argüello and Olivares landed simultaneous left hooks in round thirteen. Olivares's left hand caused a visible pain expression on Argüello's face, but Argüello's left hand caused Olivares to crash hard against the canvas. A few seconds later, Argüello was the new Featherweight champion of the world.
Argüello defended this title a few times, then moved up in weight to challenge world Junior Lightweight champion Alfredo Escalera in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, in what has been nicknamed The Bloody Battle of Bayamon by many. Escalera had been a busy champion with ten defenses, and he had dethroned Kuniaki Shibata in 2 rounds in Tokyo. In what some experts (including Ring Magazine writers) consider one of the most brutal fights in history, Escalera had his eye, mouth and nose busted early, but was rallying back in the scorecards when Argüello finished him, once again in the thirteenth round.
His reign at Junior Lightweight saw him fend off the challenges of Escalera in a rematch held at Rimini, Italy, as well as former world champion Bobby Chacon, former world champion Rafael "Bazooka" Limon, Ruben Castillo, and Diego Alcala, beaten in only one round.
Argüello suffered many cuts around his face during his second victory against Escalera. The on-site doctor wanted him hospitalized, but Argüello had a flight to catch from Rome the next day to return to Nicaragua, and he boarded a train from Rimini. The doctor decided to travel with Argüello, and performed plastic surgery on Argüello's cuts with Argüello awake.
Argüello then moved up in weight again, and this time he had to go to London, England, to challenge world Lightweight champion Jim Watt. Watt lasted fifteen rounds, but the judges gave Argüello a unanimous 15-round decision, thus making him only the sixth boxer to win world titles in 3 divisions, and the second Latin American (after Wilfred Benitez had become the first by beating Maurice Hope one month before) to do it. He had to face some less known challengers in this division, one exception being the famous prospect Ray Mancini (known as "Boom Boom" Mancini) who would later be the subject of a made for television movie. Mancini and Argüello engaged in a fight that was later showcased in a boxing video of the best fights of the 1980s, with Argüello prevailing by stoppage when he decked Mancini in round 14.
[edit] Battles with Aaron Pryor
After defeating James 'Bubba' Busceme by sixth round stoppage, Argüello decided to move up in weight class time again, and on November 12, 1982, he tried to become the first world champion in 4 different categories, meeting the heavier and future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Pryor, in what was billed as The Battle of the Champions in Miami, Florida. He was stopped in 14. A controversy erupted over a specific water bottle requested by trainer Panama Lewis which Pryor drank from before the start of the fourteenth. Because the newly created Miami Boxing Commission had neglected to perform a post-fight urinalysis, a rematch was ordered. This time, in Las Vegas, Arguello was KO:ed in the tenth, and stated after the fight "I'm not going to fight anymore. I quit." But he later returned to the ring for financial reasons.
[edit] Comeback and post-retirement
During the 1980s Argüello briefly fought with the Contras in his native Nicaragua, but after a few months in the jungle he retired from the war.[1] He then attempted several comebacks into boxing during the late 1980s and early 1990s and had some success, most notably a fourth round stoppage of former World Junior Welterweight Champion Billy Costello in a 1986 televised bout that put him in a position for another shot at the Junior Welterweight title. He retired for good in 1995 with a record of 82 wins, 8 losses, and 65 KO's, along with the recognition of being one of the sports most universally respected fighters among fans, experts, and boxers.
Argüello was elected to the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 1992. In 2008 he was honored by being selected as Nicaragua's flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.[2].
He remained very friendly with his old rival Aaron Pryor, and the pair saw each other several times a year until Argüello's death.
[edit] Political career
Argüello was actively involved in Nicaraguan politics with the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN)--the same party against whom he took up arms in the 1980s—and in 2004 was elected vice-mayor of Managua. Amid accusations of vote-rigging Argüello narrowly won the mayorial election for mayor of Managua on November 9, 2008[3] elections against the candidate of the Constitutionalist Liberal Party, Eduardo Montealegre, who had come second to Daniel Ortega in the 2006 presidential election. Argüello's margin of victory was narrow as he attained just 51.30% of the vote.[4]
[edit] Death
Argüello died around 1 a.m. local time on July 1, 2009, after he allegedly shot himself through the heart in Managua, according to a report from Channel 8 national television. Reports now say there could be some foul play involved.
The national police have confirmed the death, but are still awaiting the results of the autopsy. [5][6]
Those close to Alexis are saying that he was becoming progressively disenchanted with the Ortegas and the Sandinista government, and was planning an imminent departure from the Sandinista political party. To keep this from happening which potentially could have fomented revolution against the Sandinistas, the Ortegas had Alexis killed.[citation needed]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ruben Olivares |
WBA Featherweight Champion 23 Nov 1974– 1977 Vacates |
Succeeded by Rafael Ortega |
| Preceded by Alfredo Escalera |
WBC Super Featherweight Champion 28 Jan 1978– 1980 Vacates |
Succeeded by Rafael Limon |
| Preceded by Jim Watt |
WBC Lightweight Champion 20 Jun 1981– 1983 Vacates |
Succeeded by Edwin Rosario |
| Ring Magazine Lightweight Champion June 20, 1981 - February 1983 Vacated |
Succeeded by Julio Cesar Chavez |
|
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Adrift in a Sea of Choices", Sports Illustrated, October 21, 1985
- ^ "Alexis Arguello to bear Nicaraguan flag in Bejing Olympics", Xinhua, July 9, 2008
- ^ The Independent Newspaper (London) Obituary of Alexis Arguello July 17th 2009
- ^ "La Prensa Election Section" November 11, 2008
- ^ El Nuevo Diario - Muere Alexis Argüello
- ^ "Boxer Argüello Found Dead", Associated Press via Yahoo News (July 1, 2009)
[edit] External links
- Professional boxing record for Alexis Argüello from Boxrec
- Aladdin Freeman's BraggingRights Interview With Arguello 2004
- On June 26, 2009 in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Argúello placed flowers at a monument for Roberto Clemente to honor the late baseball great. YouTube video
- La Prensa - police statement
